Russian warship “Mirage” on Friday passed through Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait, heading to the Mediterranean to back up Russia’s bombing campaign in Syria, AFP journalists reported.

The corvette, which left Russia’s Sevastopol base in Crimea on Thursday, is on a mission is to protect other navy ships from other ships or submarines.

Russian marines soldiers were seen on the vessel loaded with cruise missile launchers as well as artillery, AFP journalists reported.

Mirage took part in the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia over Moscow-backed South Ossetia region.

The Russian navy used cruise missiles to strike Syria for the first time last October, launching them from the Caspian Sea, as well as in December, when they were launched from a submarine in the Mediterranean.

Dozens of Russian warships have passed through the Bosphorus Strait, northbound and southbound, especially since Moscow stepped up operations inside Syria.